I thought I would add some comments on a few issues floating around and maybe
start a few people thinking in the process.
 
First of all, I hope that, in this discussion of goal lights and their
connectivity with score clocks, we don't forget that it is the OFFICIAL who
determines not only, if a goal was scored, but if it went in during the period.
The goal light is merely a signal for the fans and its illumination is strictly
UNofficial.
 
So, I was thinking about this apparent problem, and an interesting, however
a bit far-fetched, idea came to mind:
 
How about giving a remote goal light controller to the referee.  This light
would not only be inoperative at the end of the period, but would also stop
the clock itself upon being illuminated.  This would allow for the referee to
have no need for listening for the horn, amongst sometimes loud crowd reactions
to a trigger happy goal judge (who would also become obsolete), and simply
press a button when the goal was scored and if there was time left the light
goes on and the clock stops, otherwise the horn sounds and the light never
comes on.  IF the referee is in position to call the goal there is negligible
reaction time delay on his part. AND for those of you who are now thinking
"But now the referee would have to carry something else around," I am sure
there is sufficient technology around to make the controller into simply a
button on some form of wrist band which could be comfortably worn.
 
It is just an idea and I welcome any comments or design additions.
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
On the topic of awarding assists:
 
I have been Officiating since I was 14 years old, and one of the things which
I took most seriously was the awarding of goals and assists.  I think that this
should ALWAYS be the job of the official, as opposed to some hometown appointed
person.  With a little practice it is not that hard to do and the referee can
always get assistance from his linesmen (3-man system) or the other referee
(2-man system.)  This would remove any temptation towards biasedness, being
that officials are by definition supposed to be unbiased.   And for those who
think that just by touching the puck you should not be awarded an assist I
have the following two comments.
 
(1) When attempting to determine whether or not previous passes REALLY
    contributed to the goal itself, I believe that TOO much judgement is
    invovled and that would lead to too many inconsistencies in the awarding
    of assists from official to official (or whomever is scoring)
 
(2) Everytime a player touches the puck it causes other players to react.
    If a player, one of the last two to touch the puck before a goal was
    scored, was to have not played the puck, we can not assume that all of
    the players would have still reacted in the same way, and therefore we
    cannot assume that the goal would have been scored regardless.  Thus, it
    can be seen that in a way the player did assist in the scoring of the
    goal.  Even if the player did not intend for a goal to be scored one
    or two passes later, IMO his touching of the puck led to his team's
    scoring and thus he should be given an assist.
 
These are my opinions and I always enjoy others' viewpoints as I have
previously on this discussion in particular.
 
BIG RED FREAKOUT
 
 -coming soon to the Houston Field House . . .
 
 
-Ryan Stone
 Lawrence University (Appleton, WI) '93
 Rensselaer '93
 
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| RYAN G. STONE                     | "An individual can make a difference  |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute  |  a team can make a miracle."          |
| e-mail: [log in to unmask]           |              - 1980 U.S. Hockey Team  |
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